Do your own Fluids and Filters on a BX

[bp fick]

I was in a Deere dealer today and happened to see a quart of JD synthetic gear oil. Just for chuckles I asked how much a 5 gallon pail would cost. He took a while and we each guessed while he looked it up. He said $200 and I said no way...maybe $170 max. Guess what? A five gallon pail of synthetic gear oil was $300. Ouch.

Well, the Green label and paint often fetches a pretty penny, eh?

Here's the deal, at least it was for me. At my local WalMart and at my local generic, rural life, farm store, one can find quarts (not buckets) of gear lube. The price of the regular and synthetic was/is just about the same, in house brand. $6 versus $7. During sales promotions, even a buck less per quart. This showed me two things.



1. House brands (typically packed by Warren Oil or other reputable supplier) are minus the branding factor and are very reasonable and meet great specs, just like the big, bad brand name products.
2. Given how little either them costs? Gear lube was going in my front axle. I'm sure Olive Oil would provide a lot of lubrication, but for me, based on my dealers proven results, gear lube in my Kubota front axle. It's an axle. For sure.

 

[bp fick]

Let me also remind myself of another thing.

i change the front axle, what? Once every three years, perhaps? So, this is a $30 fluid change, with the synthetic gear lube. This isn't complicated for me and not as important as the cure for cancer or world peace.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The car dealer I purchased my Ford Flex from in London, Ky changes my oil and filter for $19.99 as part of their sales pitch. They use Mastercraft? or something like that. I asked if it was synthetic or just regular oil. Service manager said it is a synthetic blend. What does a synthetic blend mean? Is that twice as good as regular blend and half as good as full synthetic? I guess 3 drops of synthetic in a quart of regular could be a synthetic blend, right? He could tell me it's all, no drops of synthetic, and I'd be happy and satisfied but just curious as to the experts opinion on synthetic blend. Sure there are many experts here.

 

[Nightforce]

Let me also remind myself of another thing.

i change the front axle, what? Once every three years, perhaps? So, this is a $30 fluid change, with the synthetic gear lube. This isn't complicated for me and not as important as the cure for cancer or world peace.

The front axle fluid change is easy and straight forward.

Each side has a drain plug and must be drained separately.

1. Remove the dipstick
2. Remove both drain plugs allowing fluid to drain into an appropriate pan
3. Replace drain plugs
4. Fill using synthetic gear lubrication (3 quarts)



Note: The dipstick is plastic and uses an o-ring to seal. The problem with this design is it allows moisture to seep in above the o-ring which rusts the cast iron making the dipstick difficult to remove. I used a 400 grit sand paper to remove this corrosion then applied some grease to the filler hole and above the o-rind in the dipstick to prevent or minimize further corrosion.

 

[sixdogs]

The front axle fluid change is easy and straight forward.

Each side has a drain plug and must be drained separately.

1. Remove the dipstick
2. Remove both drain plugs allowing fluid to drain into an appropriate pan
3. Replace drain plugs
4. Fill using synthetic gear lubrication (3 quarts)

Note: The dipstick is plastic and uses an o-ring to seal. The problem with this design is it allows moisture to seep in above the o-ring which rusts the cast iron making the dipstick difficult to remove. I used a 400 grit sand paper to remove this corrosion then applied some grease to the filler hole and above the o-rind in the dipstick to prevent or minimize further corrosion.

Great advice. Also add step 5 that is to check and top off the oil after an hour or so because it tends to settle down and more is usually needed.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Great advice. Also add step 5 that is to check and top off the oil after an hour or so because it tends to settle down and more is usually needed.

I'd also add to do it again after one to two weeks of use (10 to 20 hours) because there seems to be some pockets that try to resist filling and give Kubota dealers a bad name for not filling the front drive system.

 

[sixdogs]

I'd also add to do it again after one to two weeks of use (10 to 20 hours) because there seems to be some pockets that try to resist filling and give Kubota dealers a bad name for not filling the front drive system.

I don't understand how this can happen but they all need to be topped off whether new tractors or after an front axle oil change. There out to be a sticker on the owner's manual.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The car dealer I purchased my Ford Flex from in London, Ky changes my oil and filter for $19.99 as part of their sales pitch. They use Mastercraft? or something like that. I asked if it was synthetic or just regular oil. Service manager said it is a synthetic blend. What does a synthetic blend mean? Is that twice as good as regular blend and half as good as full synthetic? I guess 3 drops of synthetic in a quart of regular could be a synthetic blend, right? He could tell me it's all, no drops of synthetic, and I'd be happy and satisfied but just curious as to the experts opinion on synthetic blend. Sure there are many experts here.
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Where are you oil experts?:confused3: Why no input on the synthetic "BLEND" question?

 

[number two]

JT-while not an oil expert,I'll take a stab at your inquiry.
These days,the lowest price/quality motor oil in many product lines is labeled as a synthetic blend instead of conventional oil.
The last oil class I was at mentioned that the base stock didn't matter much anymore because the chemists were constantly messing around with the contents.Oil composition could vary in as little as a month or two.
There is a lot of difference between in parafin content between crude oils from different regions.Higher in northern PA,less in KY or TX.
The sludge once found in neglected "Penzoil" engines was a result of the higher parafin content.
Anymore,this is all blended out with chemistry:hence the label "synthetic blend".
Hopefully the true oil experts will set the record perfect.
Good Luck!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

JT-while not an oil expert,I'll take a stab at your inquiry.
These days,the lowest price/quality motor oil in many product lines is labeled as a synthetic blend instead of conventional oil.

So, your saying the "Synthetic Blended" is not as good/ worse/ cheaper than the plain ole 5w/15w 30 can of oil of most brands? :shocked: Conventional oil is better than synthetic blend!!!!